If you would like readers to think Slackware isn't some crusty fossil, it might help to not link to the old outdated version of the slackbook to the phrase "not outdated version". People might get the idea that that's the "not outdated version". Or something.

It doesn't discuss many things that me as an admin of a printer and file server need to know.

That's not a bug; it's a feature. Seriously.

The book isn't intended for a file and print server admin. It's intended to introduce newbies to GNU/Linux in general, and Slackware in particular. If you're already capable of running your own file and print server, you're probably past the scope of the book.

It doesn't discuss many things that me as an admin of a printer and file server need to know.

It seems to me that Slackware's biggest strength is in its simplicity, in so far as the user finds very few unnecessary hurdles in the way of finding out for himself how to get something set up. I'm unlikely to refer to it myself, but then I've been using Slack since it was SLS.

Sure, the book may be insufficient for some, but given the apparent revival of interest in Slackware, it is probably timely.

But wow, they still have the same website that they did back when I was at university. In 1998.

So? Slackware is a distro with a staff of one. It is probably that which makes it so solid. Pat probably doesn't have time to futz around with glitzy webpages, and I for one am content that he doesn't bother.

I see no particular advantage in a triumph of form over content; the webpage reflects the simplicity of the distro. All the page has to say is who the distro might benefit and where to get it.

I've only read a bit into it - obviously any detailed post is going to be a while in coming - but it looks good so far. As someone who's spent a lot of time using Slack and a lot of time trying to help people out at LQ with Slack, I can't tell you how nice it is to have the opportunity to say 'Read the Book' instead of 'Read the Book. It's a little (ahem) outdated, but still pretty useful in places'.

Forgive me if this has come up a zillion times already since, while I knew of the project, I hadn't followed